Good article on Bush attempt to pre-empt state governors power over National Guard.

The Daily Advertiser - www.theadvertiser.com - Lafayette, LA:

"BATON ROUGE - To Tulane historian Doug Brinkley, the crucial moment in post-Hurricane Katrina politics occurred Sept. 2 when Gov. Kathleen Blanco refused to relinquish control of the Louisiana National Guard to President Bush.

'It's such a big moment, the Blanco-Bush moment,' said Brinkley, the author of The Great Deluge: Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans and the Mississippi Gulf Coast. 'Gov. Blanco did absolutely the right thing. She stood up to the president's attempt to take over the National Guard.'

A year later, the president again is trying to take over the National Guard, and not only Louisiana's, but any state's."
. . . . . .

U.S. Rep. Rodney Alexander, R-Quitman, said he could see both sides of the argument, but he favors removing the takeover provision.

"I can understand the governors' concerns," Alexander said. "I can understand the president's concern."

The takeover could be dangerous "if you had a president who would be ruthless," Alexander said.

Gee! A ruthless president?? That could never happen.